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The Western Illinois University School of Agriculture's 40th Annual Performance Tested Bull Sale in 2012 posted records for both sale average and gross sales. Photo courtesy of WIU School of Agriculture.
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WIU School of Agriculture's Ken Nimrick celebrates Western's 40th Annual Performance Tested Bull Sale, which was held March 16 at WIU's Livestock Center in Macomb. Photo courtesy of WIU School of Agriculture.
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WIU Bull Test Celebrated 40th Anniversary with Record Sale

March 29, 2012

MACOMB, IL -- The 40th Annual Western Illinois University Performance Tested Bull Sale, which was held March 16 at WIU's Livestock Center in Macomb, posted records for both sale average and gross sales. According to Ken Nimrick, associate professor in Western's School of Agriculture, 44 buyers from Illinois and Iowa took home 58 high-quality, high-performance bulls at a record average price of $3,220.

"The top 20 bulls averaged $4,200," Nimrick said. "The sale was strong all the way through, with the final bull bringing nearly as much as the first bull through the ring. Repeat buyers again accounted for a high percentage of the buyers, gross dollars and bulls selling, which attests to the success cow men and women are achieving with bulls out of this sale."

The top-selling honors were shared by two Angus bulls, one (Lot 8) consigned by Kramer Farm (Farina, IL) and another (Lot 27) consigned by James Schreacke (Camp Point, IL). According to Nimrick, the top indexing bull (above all breeds) was also the top indexing Simmental and was consigned by Bill Washburn (Olney, IL) and sold for $3,800.

"This bull set a record for the all-time top-gaining bull in any WIU performance test, with an ADG [average daily gain] of 6.07," he noted. "Topping the Simmental consignments at $4,700 was a son of Mr. NCL Upgrade U8676 from Bill Washburn and Terry Osborne. The top indexing Simmental from Claussen's Simmentals [Bettendorf, IA] brought a bid of $3,000."

Nimrick added the top Red Angus, consigned by Claussen's Red Angus (Bettendorf, IA), sold for $4,500 and was the second highest indexing bull of the sale. He said that the lone Polled Hereford, consigned by Brent Behrends (San Jose, IL), brought a final bid of $3,300.

"Breeders are encouraged to enter their top bull prospects next year, as we hope to continue building upon the reputation of the WIU performance tested bull sale as a source of top-quality, performance-tested genetics," Nimrick said.

For more information about entering a bull in the 2012-2013 test, contact the WIU School of Agriculture at (309) 298-1080. Information about next year's test will also be available in June on the test station's website at www.wiu.edu/bulltest.